Hello.
This is simply a blog post about my many years of experience working for Sandy Cove Ministries. The good, the bad, the ugly. No filters! If you are looking for the honest truth about this place, what it's like to work here, and the 411 on what really goes on in the back ground, please, read on.
**Disclaimer** I truly advise that if you are not going to read the WHOLE thing, do not read it at all. You may stop short and not fully understand my point of view. Thank You!
I am not looking to ruin anyone's employment, but I am looking to let everyone know the truth so as to save some time before you decide to jump in and either spend a vacation here, or apply for a job in this very tricky atmosphere.
First and foremost, I have been attending Sandy Cove Ministries as a fetus. Yes, I said it. My parents attended far before I was born, and took me as an infant on our summer vacations here. Most of the employees there today, specifically the "Uppers," have not been attending as long as I have.
My very first job at Sandy Cove was Housekeeping. I arrived as a shy, blacked out, almost punk kind of girl. Nothing wrong with that, but I left as an outgoing, sunshiney, totally different girl. My experience in Housekeeping was not fun. My experience with the people there in 2011, was excellent. I was treated wonderfully. Everyone sympathized with me over my horrible position and how mistreated I was, and made me feel more beautiful than I have ever felt in my life. This was a boost that I needed.
Housekeeping was a dirty job, obviously. I was rushed day in and day out because staff was so short in this area. I had to do 15 full room cleans by myself, and I do say very OCD room cleans. Often I was left to do 50 "tidies" by myself, which were basically quick room cleans while the guests were- or- weren't "out and about." Now, this was all in the job description. I will use that as a disclaimer. BUT- being mistreated, overworked because of lack of staff, and pushed around was not part of the deal. The people that Sandy Cove accepted as groups to stay there for retreats were sleazy, slobby, and sometimes even occult groups.
The morning after these events was always the worst for me. I would enter a room to clean and it had been like a tornado hit the place. These people cared NOTHING about the mess they left me, the items they destroyed, and the furniture they decided to move, which, is against rules. I would often spend over an hour on one room because the people they allowed to stay here had trashed the place. I had to move full beds back into place, clean throw up and diarrhea on the floor, and vacuum an extra lot of chips and junk up off the floor. This must have been the norm for these groups, unless they were really so careless to the mess they left me. I can't imagine anyone treating their house like they treated the hotel rooms, and if that is their true lifestyle I can't imagine what their homes look like. All the extra cleaning took up time and this was not my fault.
Aside from creepy cult groups and poopy underwear being thrown on the floor, I had to deal with strange requests and comments from the guests, daily. No one was ever around to help me, and if I asked for help I got made fun of for having a "question." One time, it had been my day off, and I was using my netbook. One woman took advantage of our slogan, which was "Meeting the needs of the guests." She decided to ASK ME if she could "borrow" my laptop. Hold up... what?? That's right. She memorized my face, that I was en employee. She decided to try and steal my belongings on my time off. Tsk, Tsk. One would think a respectable vacation center would be more careful of whom they allowed to stay there. Not to mention the creepy comments I got from some people whilst cleaning.
I mentioned earlier a shortened staff on housekeeping. They were super understaffed which does in fact mean that all of us were pushed to the limit and the blame was 100% on us, for everything. Constant suffering was a part of each day. Towards the end of my stay there that summer of 2011, things started to get worse. Staff began to leave, and things got more busy for all of us. One day I had a large bunch of rooms to clean, when I got a call from my manager to meet her in her office. I walked in, and they said "Angie, it's all your fault that we are understaffed. We hope that you get your rooms done in time today or else we are going to fire you."
I think that is enough there for me to say about that. I will let you ponder that and rethink what I just wrote for a good minute or two.
Done yet? I thought that might be a lot to take in. Very unprofessional. Luckily karma hit the one woman and she lost her job with Sandy Cove.
Since I had only been 17 at the time, Sandy Cove got a call from my parents. The president at the time handled it very well, because he was obviously quite upset over this absurd mistreatment. I was told that we would get a free vacation and I would be allowed back next summer, even though I broke the contract by leaving a day early. Who could blame me though?
All in all I did enjoy the friends I made and the memories I had. So much positive attention from them all.
A year went by and I had graduated High School. It was summer time again. I gave Sandy Cove a call and was told that I could not work there because of the previous situation.
Screwed me over. I thought that I could still work there??
I had almost been jobless that summer, it was the end of May, and I could not find a single position in the area. Thanks, guys!!
Luckily, on a whim, I applied to Camp Sandy Cove, the West Virginia branch off camp for children. Tim Nielsen, was the most positive, wonderful, role model and manager I could have asked for in my entire life. He needed a videographer and I needed a job, so it worked out perfectly. My partner was a little strange, but we got a long. Working at camp humbled me and taught me how to live like a real woman: No air conditioning, no nothing. A cabin with 20 other girls, some dirty old clothes, and beans in a can. It was great! I got to live like a free bird. It took some getting used to, and was certainly not the same environment as Sandy Cove in Northeast Maryland. I did miss the bay. But I got over it and even ran into an old circus friend who I met the previous summer at Sandy Cove. Everything was awesome. I will say though, because of my anxiety, it was hard for me to be so far from home.
I had a very adventurous summer in West Virginia using the Go Pro camera on zip lines, and teaching children the art of videography.
That's a whole different story, as the summer ended, I went to college, and finished up a year.
Summer 2013 was here, and I was again almost jobless by the end of spring. I applied again for the heck of it to Sandy Cove. I figured maybe things would be better this time. Maybe it would all work out.
I got a call last minute from Human Resources, for a position as "CAMP DESK CLERK." Now, the description for this position, was to sit at the camp desk, down the road from the bay a little ways where the tents & trailers are pitched, and check people in to the campground. I spoke to my supervisor at the time, and she told me that I would be, to quote, "Watching movies all day at the desk by myself." "I hope you don't mind buying Netflix," she said. I arrived with high expectations and little amounts of dress clothes, as I expected to be at the camp desk: Watching movies and checking people in.
Time went by, and I had been trained at the front desk of the 5-star hotel section. Not the camp desk. Not the snack register. THE actual front desk. Where 500 people a week during "summer together" check in and every single one has to buy a snack before they leave. I was thrown there on a whim, and never trained properly. I had confronted my supervisor about whether I would ever work at the camp desk, and she told me that "I looked good and had a sweet voice" so she would most likely keep me up front.
OH.
The summer went on and I had limited amounts of dress attire. Luckily I always pulled it off and looked fancy. I was very self conscious about my weight, and struggling with that mentally. My parents never did get along super well. Often they would call me in the midst of work to argue with me over school finances and their own problems. This raised my stress level to the max. The ladies were very understanding of it.
All of this caused me great stress during the day, and I would often vent to the desk ladies about it. They vented to me about their problems too. We all have them. I somehow got the vibe that my problems were a turn-off to them. Almost like they didn't care, or patronized me. Silly Angie, the pretty little desk girl. I finally almost exploded.
Through all stress and drama I did not enjoy or intend to occur, the summer had come to an end. None of this I asked for, it was all just a series of events that happen in life.
It came to the day where I had my end of summer review.
Oh no.. I had never actually done one of these before. I sat by my supervisor as she explained her opinion to me. After I had done all she asked me to do, on such a whim, she said this.
"Angie, I do not know how to put this-- and don't try telling on me because I already talked to Human Resources about you. But you're just so--- hmmm, how can I put this.. without being too bold? *snark face.* I'm just going to go ahead and say it. You're just so flighty. You're a space cadet. You have no goals in life. Do you want to turn out like your parents? I say this because I care and want to see you succeed."
My mind was blown.
She continued- "It's not even that it affected your work performance or anything, you were great. I just think that this position isn't right for you. So I can't rehire you the next summer."
"Not that it affected your work or anything, but I can't rehire you."
^ WHAT??
She handed me my review, which, was, in itself, flighty. All 2's, 3's, and maybe one 4. I was super confused. She asked me to sign in agreement, which, I thought that I HAD to do. I did it, and I regret that so much because I don't agree with a damn thing on that paper. I worked my ass off for her, like a slave, did everything she asked, and dealt with so much. My mind had still been processing what she labeled me as.
She then asked me to write up an email to her, with a list of all my goals. Like a little 4 year old. I did it to float her boat, I figured it did make some sense, but not quite. That ended my term at Sandy Cove 2013.
This past summer things had changed, they again screwed me over and would not hire me for a single position. I ended up at Chick Fil A and as a Nanny. My summer was great but I had not had a chance to write this blog. I truly want everyone to know my experience there and what it may be like for you, too.
Now before I close this out, there are a couple people I would like to point out whom I forgot to mention earlier.
Mark, the President I knew for most of my time there. You are wonderful, inspiring, and one of the sweetest people I know. Please keep caring the way you do and truly acting as I imagine God would.
Stephen Weaver, the current President. I am not happy about your position there now. When I was a receptionist at the front you decided to scream at me over a paper you needed printed because you was in stress. That is not the way to handle yourself as a supervisor, and certainly not a way to treat any employee. Especially not in a Christian retreat center. Control yourself or karma will hit you so hard you'll never forget it. You used to be a very nice, very easy-going guy and you have turned into a monster of a big- mohoff. Congratulations, and I really hope you figure out how to do this without freaking out on everyone.
Renee, my dorm mom at Sandy Cove in 2011. You taught me so much and you are still one of the sweetest people I know. You were just what we needed and I had never had such a great time. I made so many friends in our dorm that summer and you were so understanding. You just got it. I loved that, I really did :).
The current Summer Dorm Parents, whose names I will not say- Very nice people but like to play favorites. I was very busy as receptionist and my manager made it clear to you that she would not let me off for summer events. I came there to work, and work hard, and I'm sorry I couldn't have as much play time to get to know you. That's not your fault but I wish you had been a bit more understanding of that. I ask you to please try and be a bit more understanding towards those with high demand positions in the future. It is hard when you can't have time to hang out. I often felt like those with more time were favorites and that's really not cool. I appreciate your kindness and open hearts.
Thanks again for taking the time to read this blog! This is a cliché closing but I really do appreciate it. I look to gain my associates in journalism. I have high hopes for the future.
If you are going to comment please take into consideration that this is my viewpoint and mine only. Everyone has a different experience at this place and it may have been better or worse than mine. If you have worked in a different position than me, please be understanding that your experience may have been totally different because your position was as well. Therefore, you did not have to go through the same situations as me. I will not accept crude comments. Please be appropriate. Opinions are fine! Again please take into consideration all of the above.
Thank You!
Angie Anconetani
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